tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post49251490178615158..comments2024-03-29T01:11:26.960-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Bandmate of Johnny Rotten / WED 3-23-11 / Ancient land in modern Jordan / Onetime exam in British schools / Home to Da Vinci's L'Ultima CenaRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78796669081920777492011-04-27T21:28:25.211-04:002011-04-27T21:28:25.211-04:00[syndi] Very much enjoyed this puzzle but also le...[syndi] Very much enjoyed this puzzle but also left the 'theme' until after everything was filled in. That way (plus yellow & blue highlighter--visual aids) it was easy to see both quotes.<br /> Belated congratulations to all ACPT participants and thanks for the pictures and anecdotes.lodsfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345395843784742434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77922685664230698022011-04-27T21:09:45.823-04:002011-04-27T21:09:45.823-04:00Interesting that so many believe that [25D Brown w...Interesting that so many believe that [25D Brown wall covering = IVY] refers to Brown the college. You're probably right, too; but I took it to mean a wall of a brownstone house, something ALSO often covered with IVY.<br /><br />Like @Diri, I wondered if @Waxy had gotten a real subscription and all that when I read her chime-in in the big kids' section. Had a little "I'll miss you" pang there for a second. No lobster trap don't-let-em-leave sort though: I'll cheer your graduation if you ever do, @Waxy. Nice to see ya here regardless.NotalwaysrightBillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9222656649724670032011-04-27T17:07:24.248-04:002011-04-27T17:07:24.248-04:00Hah! The only thing I knew was Odense. And that Br...Hah! The only thing I knew was Odense. And that Brown is in the Ivy League. I found that clue amusing. And I liked all the V's. So Edam is only a cheese? I had to look here to see what the English expression was.wcutlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08615799228069705972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26628259260667581202011-04-27T15:52:07.650-04:002011-04-27T15:52:07.650-04:00@Dirigonzo - no, I remain loyal to our small but q...@Dirigonzo - no, I remain loyal to our small but quality-laden band of sydisolvers. Occasionally, though, I do look in on the prime-timers in realtime, perchance occasionally even to submit a comment as was done 5 weeks back when Liz Taylor died...<br />Thanks for your concern!Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23535435883348345452011-04-27T15:22:30.084-04:002011-04-27T15:22:30.084-04:00I did not know that JULIUSCAESAR even spoke Englis...I did not know that JULIUSCAESAR even spoke English, so that quote remained hidden to me until I came here.<br /><br />@Waxy - have you joined the prime-timers?<br /><br />@BobK - I see your jokes are still being taken seriously?Dirigonzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903353503511480168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55467848726396009452011-04-27T11:15:01.372-04:002011-04-27T11:15:01.372-04:00Syndi-late paper solver, with whatever stylus pres...Syndi-late paper solver, with whatever stylus presents itself closest to hand when I start.<br /><br />Enjoyed this Wedpuz for the most part, despite some pretty lame short fill. And had to look up EMO. SWIMCAPS are as good a dressing as any for this CEASAR salad.<br /><br />Wonder whether LASH as the answer to [56D Pirate's punishment] was originally conceived as a verb or a noun? Or both or neither? LASHed to the keel? 40 LASHes? LASH one in is a rotten DIPSO? Loved SUDS for [13D Head].<br /><br />Well, gotta go: crossin' the Alps or the Rubicon or something after lunch I think, in some kind of Italian or Punic SEMI-MAZDA.NotalwaysrightBillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-27680291170714338912011-03-24T12:16:04.589-04:002011-03-24T12:16:04.589-04:00Have a heart! Some of us have adult memories from ...Have a heart! Some of us have adult memories from before you were born; being retired, we have time to do crosswords, and we get a nice buzz from being able to remember - just like that! - that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 in 1947. You youngsters can have the rock bassists, just don't spoil our fun, OK?Anonymoushttp://wilypig@pathcom.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37785999210582362422011-03-24T00:47:08.613-04:002011-03-24T00:47:08.613-04:00"just as I have a retirement account" - ..."just as I have a retirement account" - BONSAI! I have to poach! Thanks, @I'll Work till I Die.<br /><br />Meantime, the multiples are improving. Monster might be a buy. Keep the faith.fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65536757907414035842011-03-23T23:30:05.085-04:002011-03-23T23:30:05.085-04:00@fikink All lines have a slope, it's just that...@fikink All lines have a slope, it's just that in some cases the slope is zero - y = 0*X + B. Just as I have a retirement account.I'll Work til I Dienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19296950813360777382011-03-23T23:16:48.427-04:002011-03-23T23:16:48.427-04:00Dudes and Dudettes, you all rock! Had a trying day...Dudes and Dudettes, you all rock! Had a trying day with FIL who was obsessing over a mineral-salt block we'd put out for the deer and, beseechingly, insisting on taking down a tree for firewood. It was only refocusing on the crossword puzzle and listening to jazz that I could redirect him.<br /> In the end, he was delighted with all of the posts I read to him and asked whether a line necessarily had to have a slope, remembering that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. <br />What do I say to him?fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71816335182531733932011-03-23T22:04:45.689-04:002011-03-23T22:04:45.689-04:00This week's relative difficulty ratings. See m...This week's relative difficulty ratings. See my 7/30/2009 post for an explanation. In a nutshell, the higher the ratio, the higher this week's median solve time is relative to the average for the corresponding day of the week.<br /><br />All solvers (this week's median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Mon 6:30, 6:55, 0.94, 25%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 8:50, 8:55, 0.99, 54%, Medium<br />Wed 13:09, 11:45, 1.12, 78%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Mon 3:29, 3:41, 0.94, 31%, Easy-Medium<br />Tue 4:32, 4:34, 0.99, 52%, Medium<br />Wed 6:26, 5:47, 1.11, 80%, Medium-Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16492319875777876012011-03-23T21:53:49.861-04:002011-03-23T21:53:49.861-04:00For some reason, this puzzle just suited me. At fi...For some reason, this puzzle just suited me. At first I thought OMG, and poked around a little (liMo before SEMI, rice before SAGO, and sodaS before MALTS) but then I saw SID VICIOUS and just took off. LINE seemed obvious, METRODOME fit, though I don't know what it is.<br /><br />@Anon513 - So Mrs. Rinear was Linear?<br /><br />@Quilter = I'm using Gel pens over Flairs now because they're easier to find in pastel colors. I can't see pencil, and black pen is too hard to write over. I write over in a darker gel.<br />@JohnV - wait til you get old.<br /><br />Of course, paper-solving goes anywhere - the Home, the bed, the dinner table. I doubt I could see the puzzle on any of those small devices.<br /><br />When I hear Kerfuffle I'm forced to think of German potatoes.<br /><br />@DK - tell me more about this soy based ink.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23480930602107272932011-03-23T19:43:06.456-04:002011-03-23T19:43:06.456-04:00@Stan
As always, I'm with you!!! the only per...@Stan<br />As always, I'm with you!!! the only person I had ever heard of "sexting" was Favre...and I refused for quite awhile to put in TEENAGER!<br /><br />My first answer was SIDVICIOUS and I saw the VICI right away...and @Rex, I'd ad JULIUS CAESAR to the theme answers which makes it even more dense.<br /><br />Speaking of dense, I had SAGe/eDENSE and as a paper solver (no happy pencil, only a sad pen, I guess) I didn't know I had it wrong till NOW!<br />I thought it was weird that sage was a starch, but what do I know from food!!!<br />So that makes me A-Z dense, I'm afraid!<br /><br />Loved the puzzle, bec most of us would try very hard JUST to get VENI VIDI VICI into a puzzle (I think Peter Gordon had one with VENIsomething as veins) so to have TWO sets of phrases, and one in Latin and one in English is quite fabulous... And they ARE related as they are both JULIUSCAESAR...and I'll bet you anything this puzzle WAS written specifically to be published on the Ides of March!!!!!<br /><br />My puzzle a week and a half ago had the same "Last Supper" clue, but in English but I remember thinking the answer should be MILANO anyway! Esp bec I had ITALIA in the puzzle and CANALS, etc and anyone who knows me knows about my (ahem) penchant for i ragazzi italiani...<br /><br />But, of course, this isn't about me... (See! i finally realized it!) it's about Will Nediger and his fantastic puzzle!!!! And I don't even have a lascivious story about SID VICIOUS!<br />(Tho I did, for a sec, hope the theme was about vicious, cruel, evil... hmmmm, just had an idea!)<br /><br />@foodie<br />thank you for the lovely words, as always...Hey! How come you didn't comment about modern Jordan in the puzzle???!!!<br /><br />ps am also loving all the Latin jokes! How nerdy can we get!!! it makes me happy.andrea swimcaps michaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91040615170970399872011-03-23T19:39:55.943-04:002011-03-23T19:39:55.943-04:00@JohnV: I haven't been struck dead yet and I e...@JohnV: I haven't been struck dead yet and I even use gel pen. Three and goodnight.quilter1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569747169212018177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26755018546691912902011-03-23T18:53:10.138-04:002011-03-23T18:53:10.138-04:00@lit.doc, thanks, I have done that, and it helps. ...@lit.doc, thanks, I have done that, and it helps. I have a few more days if I shake the cartridge before printing. Of course, solving online conserves paper, too, jus' sayin'.CoffeeLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16473192190412844538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81394285724263716092011-03-23T18:01:54.634-04:002011-03-23T18:01:54.634-04:00@CoffeeLvr, I print a lot of puzzles (e.g. the LAT...@CoffeeLvr, I print a lot of puzzles (e.g. the LAT is the only site my school's Big Brother catches, so I have to take it with me in the a.m.). In AcrossLite, in Options/Printing, you can set the black-square fill to a light grey. Saves a lot of ink or toner, whatever you're using.<br /><br />No offense, I hope, if you already know this. Jus' tryin' to help conserve.lit.dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06729199575329286046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88705566859633747762011-03-23T17:13:12.081-04:002011-03-23T17:13:12.081-04:00"Technically, y = x is a LINE, right?"
..."Technically, y = x is a LINE, right?"<br /><br />Qualified yes. Technically, the equation of any straight line, called a linear equation, can be written as: y = mx + b, where m is the slope of the line and b is the y-intercept.<br /><br />In your example, if m=1, and b=0 then you are correct. However, the more general format is y=mx +b. <br /><br />Shout out to Mrs Rinear ... my 7th grade math teacher!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17937899846827751512011-03-23T17:04:10.446-04:002011-03-23T17:04:10.446-04:00Thing for me is solving in pen seem an act of hubr...Thing for me is solving in pen seem an act of hubris. I believe the puzzle gods will strike me down if I use other than my pencil.<br /><br />Just saying.<br /><br />Liked this puzzle. Had it all done no problem but didn't see the second theme 'til I came here, as missed seeing the double stars on caste.John Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557037910799243636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55512311892394792192011-03-23T16:38:26.893-04:002011-03-23T16:38:26.893-04:008D should have been BRETT FAVRE.8D should have been BRETT FAVRE.Stanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681342234536407419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88920411723679292782011-03-23T16:38:12.398-04:002011-03-23T16:38:12.398-04:00I came, I saw, I applauded.
Will Nediger's p...I came, I saw, I applauded. <br /><br />Will Nediger's puzzle is a constructing tour de force.jackjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60495912607398571542011-03-23T16:29:40.082-04:002011-03-23T16:29:40.082-04:00A friend who got her first faculty position at Aus...A friend who got her first faculty position at Austin Peay State University reports that while she was there the basketball star had the name "Fly", and that a popular chant was "The Fly is open, let's go Peay."Jim in Chicagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17018193127037967622011-03-23T16:24:47.800-04:002011-03-23T16:24:47.800-04:00Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/...Midday report of relative difficulty (see my 7/30/2009 post for an explanation of my method):<br /><br />All solvers (median solve time, average for day of week, ratio, percentile, rating)<br /><br />Wed 13:07, 11:45, 1.12, 78%, Medium-Challenging<br /><br />Top 100 solvers<br /><br />Wed 6:51, 5:48, 1.18, 89%, Challengingsanfranman59https://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77965219216138366102011-03-23T16:23:07.876-04:002011-03-23T16:23:07.876-04:00Why do we say "take a PEE?" I don't ...Why do we say "take a PEE?" I don't want to take it. I want to leave it.<br /><br />frappow: a spiked frappequilter1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569747169212018177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-702326698937894682011-03-23T15:56:22.035-04:002011-03-23T15:56:22.035-04:00Upon review, it is clear that I was wearing my cra...Upon review, it is clear that I was wearing my cranky pants last night; there is a lot to like in this puzzle. PERCHANCE and PROVIDENT, REIN IN one's ROAN, MALTS in the afternoon, and SUDS at night. Plus one of my personal favorite words: EVOKED. <br /><br />I miss a lot of the subtleties of a puzzle using AcrossLite, still prefer solving on paper, but my toner cartridge is low. I use pencil, except on Monday and Tuesday. <br /><br />captcha = psynce, the "study" of seances and suchCoffeeLvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16473192190412844538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29709967309198611182011-03-23T15:08:23.763-04:002011-03-23T15:08:23.763-04:00@sparky thanks. I'll check it out@sparky thanks. I'll check it outchefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.com